Good to hear you are fine !

<Great to see you are getting better and keep up the good work - this in referrence also to your fight against tobacco.> Thank you,and I´ll try to keep up the good work.

Not many will contradict you about the chances of the two frontrunners.14.18 now and a bit early to see any picture for todays games.Caruana was perhaps caught in Topalovs preparation but seems to be ok.But a very dynamic game that could suit both players.After -16-Be7.

I cheer for Caruana and Aronian due to their playing style and their chances against Carlsen.And you ? Any personal favourites ?

Time to check.

13.32

And they have started.For once a sicilian in the Karjakin game.Suppose both players are satisfied so far.Topa trying to have some fun and Karjakin trying to win the candidates.Also in the Naka-Anand game after g5 everything can happen.And a version 3 Anand- Carlsen would be "everything happen".Yeah what a fantastic player he is.Definately up there with the best of all times !

Glad you liked the cartoon :)
Hopefully Giri wont end up in a 14 round drawed cartoon...But the guy is trying.

I stopped sailing in 71 after 3 hires on different ships.But has always been in love with the ocean(s)and also have had great pleasure with kayaking.And I have occasionally insisted to introduce parts of the chessworld to my wife,but she is more to sudoko and stuff like this.But one day she had a long conversation with Peter Heine in the bus :)...Preferred drink was whiskey but now only common beer and white (wheat) beer(weiss beer/leffe blanc like Hoeggarden,especially when the sun shines;)

A perfect weekend is when the health is the best possible,good nights sleep included.From there it could be a trip to town with one of my friends,or a short visit to the seashore with my wife,or a good high level chess tournament like the candidates ;)Brunch at the seaside were we have a fixed spot is also high on the list.

Thanks for showing interest.And what would you answer to the questions above,if you like too ?

Tonight is one hour shorter.In a way;)So I´ll hit the pillow for now.

Kayaking, that's very interesting, nice, and where were you practicing, on some lakes or rivers? I was just talking to my wife last night that I've never learned to ski, nor to skate. It's strange because I remember I did have a pair of skateboards when I was maybe around 10 yo, but didn't give them much try, for some reason.

I got (extremely) drunk for the first time at the dinner celebration for finishing high school. It turned out nasty and I think I've never got that drunk anymore. Actually I believe I have a problem with alcohol, as most of the times when I'm drinking, sooner or later a headache appears. When I was younger I used to like hard drinks (vodka, whiskey - although the latter very hard to find under Ceausescu, and expensive), now I only seldom drink some white wine or beer.

I think I've never sailed and very rarely went on boat trips, maybe 2-3 times in my life, last time last year between Trieste and a small town Muggia, in northern Italy. Wife only knows the basic moves of chess, she doesn't particulary like it, but she likes my penchant for the game.

And a perfect weekend for me ressembles to yours, with the exception of sea shore activities :) Seasoned with some good music auditions and/or watching something really interesting on tv. Sometimes reading or writing stuff.

Just a short update from Moscow.

What a firghting round ! Even Giri try to win !

And thanks for sharing your personal interests with me.I like to heaar about them !

Met Heine on several occasions.Once as a second to his opponent !..And your memory is working well:We had a very long talk in 2009,shortly before Anands match with Topalov.The one that was disturbed by the Icelandic volcano..It was then I realized that Carlsen was his friend and not only his future boss.He is a nice guy as you also mentioned.

See you later.The tension is almost too high now.Real money if Giri converts.

May you enjoy the rest of the weekend!

HOKA HEY et a bien tot.

So you've spoken a lot with Nielsen, and you were his opponent's second? On which occasion and who was him?

Just logged in,to experience they start
1 hour later than normal.A bit strange.
And why not play a tiebreaker,say 2x2 rapidgames over 2 days ?.Which would be much more fair from a sportive point of view.So,as you mentioned,Karjakin is the heavy favourite and I too would prefer Caruana:Better results than Karjakin vs Carlsen,a more entertainig/univeral/less predictable style,also openingwise.And when it is staged in New Yourk,a "half" American wouldn´t hurt the promotion.To booth I find Caruana a more interesting person than Karjakin....But no more complaining for today :)Soon the big battle will begin.Hope that Car will play something like KID/Benoni/Dutch Leninggrad.

I was seconding GM Danielsen when he was playing for the danish championship.

Speaking of headache,her comes advice # 2 : The combination of 1 ibuprofen and 1 paracetamol go very well together.Many people have testified to this.Combined they do something almost magically.But remember to have taken some bread or e.g. youhurt,as ibuprofen can be a Little hard to the stomach.

Yes it is,from some perspectives a strange World,but chess can be a kind of buffer in that respect.Nést pas !?

Mine odds from february were not far from the final standings.

Yes,congratulations to the new challenger,Karjakin.Already looking forward to the 10th of November were Carlsen is on the other side fof the board.I´ll give Sergei around 20 perhaps 25 % against Magnus,and that is not bad :)

And thanks to you for all our daily exchanges which I have enjoyed a lot !

See you around,and till then:

My first day of sailing was breathtaking as far as I rember.But the adventourous part was bigger than the fear.The crew was a kind of typical mans world,but not the biggest pressure as it could have been.I also recall looking forwards to the copperation with the other youngsters on board.Which actually turned out to be fruitfull,all in all.Typically them,my mother and stepfather did not say good bye at the shore.In that respect I was on my own.And it was from Copenhagen to Sweden the first part,then Hamburg,Rotterdam as the last destination before Malaysiya=29 or 30 days without firm ground under the feet ! Quite som journey for a youn man aged 17.So first part was with calm water,till we hit the Biscaya.

Thanks for asking.And how are you these days ? Missing the Candidates,or?

Almost feels like a week ago,to me.

Things are going fine/ok and it is good with something ells than chess as the spring soon is arriving with the leafes and grass going green in a 3-4 weeks time.It happens every year ! :)

Take care and see you around.

Weekend again,nes´t pas !?..time flies.
And Next Norway Chess comming up,starting Tuesday the 17th of April and that is soon.In a way :)Time doesn´t always fly...

So you have been to your beloved Mountains,again !? On bussiness or "just" pleasure ?

No the storm in The biscaya wasnt scary.But it took a lot of energy to keep focused and not surrender to seasickness..Then a telegram from my GF,and suddenly it was much easier to endure :)Speaking of psycosomatic reaction!...A good lesson to learn.

We transported homewards : timber,elephants (3)!,lead,rubbber and some clothes.I had one shirt for some 3-4 years from that journey and still remember the colours :)

Sunshine here and spring gradually growing.Feels different from the 17 years old moro,but still good.

Hope everything is fine in your part of the World and that you may enjoy your weekend !

Again a lonely weekend for me, wife left yesterday for her homeland to take care of things. Doing some house tasks in the meantime, and of course playing chess over the net. Listened for the 6th of Malher. And a little bit of tv programs. Weather pretty warm, again, but rain should start tomorrow bringing some cool around. "It's only a lifetime".

Good to hear from you again.
And may you find the best energy possible for the house tasks.Yeah I read Bucarest 22 and cloudy 2 days ago.And typically of April to spice it up with rain,n´est pas !?

Planning to see JWH today(if the old body gives green light :),but he doesn´t know it yet.Wife is out looking for shoe(s).As she is going to Rome for a six days vacation with a friend in 2 weeks time.And that is fine too.To have some moments on my own.Not to forget Norway Chess which is appearing,without Karjakin yes.Li Hao,the chinese,is the substitute and that is an interesting exchange IMO.

May your dustbins and hoovers be on your side !

What a coincidence !! Your wife going to rome too.And perhaps the same departuredate ? My wife is going the 23th..1.68,grey hair,brown eyes,initials HKJ if they cross each others way.That would be funny.

The elephants were going to Hamburg and from there they should go further to a Zoo in perhaps Rio de Janeiro.And yes I got to feed them and took a couple of walks on the deck with the youngest one.Quite a special experience for a 17 old...

Have to go,but just wanted to say hello.

Right, elefants headed for the zoo, poor animals. Such is life, people always (at least until 10-15 years ago) thought primarily at themselves and their pleasure, and much less at how the animals feel being kept in cages (most of the time) or in very restricted areas. I have to admit I too for a long time was like that, enjoying going to zoos and looking at the animals, not much thinking at the miserable life they are forced to.

Hope you had a great weekend! Any friendly meetings?